Business After Hours with RAIN and LaneSBDC

RAIN and LaneSBDC invites community to Business After Hours, Jan. 18 at LCC Florence Center

Florence, Ore. — When it comes to starting a business, entrepreneurs can access a wide range of organizations that offer low- or no-cost resources and support. The question many of them face, however, is figuring out which organization is right for their business.

“Russ has been a willing and eager partner of RAIN. He has mentored RAIN companies, provided us with meeting space and countless other resources. Russ has also facilitated many conversations with local stakeholders, which have enabled us to be more effective in the community,” said Youngentob.

According to Pierson, “David has continued the excellent and collaborative work of RAIN in our region, building on the great foundation laid by Caroline Cummings. I think of RAIN and the SBDC as the right and left hand of workforce-development, and by extension—economic development—in our community. And the relationship we have built, with the help of both the City of Florence and the Chamber, represents a win-win for small businesses of every size, stage, and aspiration throughout the Siuslaw Region.”

Unique and Complementary Services

Patricia Immel is one of many local entrepreneurs who has benefited from the complementary services of RAIN and LaneSBDC. (Credit: Robert Scherle)

LaneSBDC provides general advisory services and structured programs to help people start and grow all types of small businesses. They also offer the SCALE Oregon program to well-established, traded-sector companies with +10 employees and more than $1 million in annual revenue.

RAIN specializes in helping entrepreneurs and innovators who are creating high-growth, traded-sector startups. These startups will pursue national and international markets and bring money and jobs to Oregon. Typically, these companies are implementing fast-growth strategies that will need angel and venture capital.

“By taking SBM, I was in a much better position to maximize my experience in the RAIN Pre-Accelerator. The two programs are highly complementary. I strongly recommend entrepreneurs combine the SBM program and RAIN for best success,” said Immel.